


Snow Leopard

by SomethingSomeone



Category: Bleach
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Implied/Referenced Brainwashing, Kidnapping, M/M, Oops this got out of hand, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Secret Relationship, now there's hollow eating involved, please watch out
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-09-07
Updated: 2020-05-13
Packaged: 2020-10-11 13:49:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 3
Words: 6,410
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20547197
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SomethingSomeone/pseuds/SomethingSomeone
Summary: "Arrancar 81, Hitsugaya Toshiro."That's who he was supposed to be, that's who he was. The hollow on his chest proved so. The fact he belonged to an Espada proved so. This was his life and he had to accept it.However, judging by his Master's fury and the feelings that erupt from him every time he's taken slightly, maybe he could start to doubt such truths. Who would've thought an enemy could, and would, save him?





	1. Fallen Snowflake, Roaring Panther

**Author's Note:**

> Fever dreams are great, AUs are great, rare ships are great, Hollow Toshiro is great, I don't know what you expect from this but oh boy, I hope you get to enjoy it.
> 
> Thank you for coming and please suit yourself for a ride.

The first thing his mind registered was the void. An absolute, utter void he was sure should’ve been filled with something. He felt nothing and it unnerved him; he was sure something was supposed to be there. He slowly moved his hand, tracing down his delicate face, onwards to his neck, then his chest. Something was there, or better said, something _ wasn’t _ there.

A hole?

He tried to think back. This didn’t feel natural, yet apparently it was. Since when did he have a hole? There was no memory of it, however being honest, there was actually no memory. Who was he? A good question. Why was he there? An even better question.

Who were all these people around him, watching him silently, almost in shock? Possibly the best question he could’ve come up with.

-So it has worked. Fascinating, simply fascinating.

He blinked, then looked up at the tall man in front of him. No, everyone seemed tall from his point of view. Of course, he was kneeling… he pushed those thoughts to the side and stared at the brown-haired male that had spoken. There were more important matters at hand. He tried to stand up, but his legs buckled under him in protest and he fell back on to the cold stone ground. He grunted and tried again, it couldn’t be he had no strength to spare on his legs.

-Do not overexert yourself so soon.

His head snapped up at the sound of the smooth voice calling forth to him. The same brown-haired male was offering him a hand, a strange smile plastered on his face. He felt like he should’ve been wary of this man, something inside his head was telling him he was incredibly dangerous, someone he should kill, not trust.

...Kill. That word felt good. Didn’t it? As if it was the most natural thing? Kill, hunt… to feed.

Without thinking, he lunged forward and grabbed the brownette’s hand, suddenly going feral, baring his sharpened teeth and getting ready to snap and rip the flesh appart. Hunger struck him violently and the need to consume souls turned into his first priority. He was empty, literally empty as a single soul lacking a heart and a place to belong to. He needed to devour and fill the void. He _ had _ to.

He pulled the hand closer to his bared fangs and got ready to bite.

Or so he would’ve, if not for the crushing sensation that fell on him. Invisible pressure forced him down, back to his kneeling position, his head hitting the cold floor this time. He growled, grunted, tried to look up and just bring the hand closer to his mouth. It was killing him. His need to eat was killing him and he wished, craved for a single bite.

-I suggest you do not try such a move again, youngling. Accept my help as my pity, for I'm the only one that will show you such kindness.

He gritted his teeth and managed to look up, feeling the strain on his neck as the pressure stayed the same on him. He gave an unnatural feral growl, pleasing himself with the way he was managing to fight this man off. The brunette sighed in resignation, apparently realizing he couldn't gain the trust of his newest creation, and began walking away elegantly, never lifting the pressure he kept on him.

-You sure are far more troublesome than intended. Do you at least know your name, Arrancar?

_ Arrancar. _That's what he was.

At the question, he shook his head and grunted, trying to get his voice to come out coherently. It felt as if he was speaking for the first time in his life, his vocal chords rusty and hurting against his dry throat.

-N… nn… nuh… no…

The brown haired man smiled strangely before turning his back to him for good.

-Arrancar 81, Hitsugaya Toshiro.

The man snapped his fingers, and from the shadows, a slim but muscular figure walked forward, his blue hair immediately catching Toshiro's attention. He had his hands in his pockets, uninterestingly staring at him, then at the one who had summoned him.

-Lord Aizen? Ya' called fer me?- the blue haired male spoke up with a strong voice that sent shivers down the white haired Arrancar's back.

-Hitsugaya, meet your Master.- his eyes suddenly glimmered with a strange sense of admiration. "Master" sounded like a huge title. -Your loyalty belongs to Grimmjow now.

Toshiro's turquoise and black eyes were fixed on his Master, ignoring the way the bluenette's expression shifted from pity to shock, even getting to the point of arguing with the brown haired man. His ears were deaf to his demands; he understood almost none of it anyway. He simply sighed and stared in awe at him, how he could see his muscles bulging with the need of a fight, his feral features morphing on the face of a definitely skilled murderer.

He hadn't even known him for more than a few seconds, but he already wished to stay by this wild man's side forever. Grimmjow… he seemed different from everyone else around them and he was handsome too.

His Master? Yes, how lucky he felt. He simply hoped he would take care of him nicely.

❄

For the fifth time in a row, Toshiro sighed and flopped down on the bed he had for himself. He locked eyes with the ceiling, suddenly fascinated by its pristine lines, not a single brick visible, and stayed still like that until his neck began hurting.

Four, five full weeks, and not once did Grimmjow call him. It was as if he had been forgotten. He rarely got to see him, locked in their room and forced to not leave it. That was the only order his Master had given him. He was forbidden of leaving his quarters. Every once in a while, though, Master would show up dragging the corpse of a minor Hollow with him, toss it into the room, and motion for Toshiro to eat it if he was hungry- which he always was. He left the moment the white haired Arrancar took the first bite.

It frustrated the Arrancar to no end.

The creaking sound of the opening door told Toshiro his Master was back. He put up his best smile and stood up to meet him, bowing slightly when he came into view.

-Welcome back, Master.

A grunt responded to his kind words.

-How was it today, Master?

Another grunt. A whispered “fine” under it.

However, Toshiro noticed Grimmjow seemed hurt. He was injured somewhere and wasn’t allowing him to know. Frowning slightly, the Arrancar pressed on.

-Master, you appear to be in pain. May I help you?

The blue haired man growled in response. The lower Arrancar bowed his head.

-Shut the fuck up and stay the fuck away.

White hair swayed as Toshiro winced with the sharp tone.

-But you’re hurt, Master…

-I said shut the fuck up.

-But, Master-!

Toshiro noticed a second too late the violent hand lifting him from the floor, firm and deadly on his neck. He gasped and crawled on it, trying to pry the fingers off. His small body wasn’t of much help as his legs failed to kick the other man and made him extremely easy to hold up.

The hand pressed harder and he whimpered.

-That’s fucking it! Don’t ever call me Master again, Hitsugaya Toshiro!

The white haired Arrancar failed to retort. Grimmjow snarled furiously and almost roared.

-I don’t fucking want you, so do whatever the fuck you want! But never, _ never _ call me Master again! What the fuck is wrong with you?!

Finally letting go, Toshiro fell on the hard stone ground and curled up while gasping for air. He clutched his neck and rubbed the sore spots gently, grateful his Master didn’t crush his windpipe.

Everything he said had gone straight from one ear to another. His orders remained firm in his head.

-I… I… I was ordered to follow you, Master, I…

-_ I said don’t call me Master! _\- Grimmjow stomped on his back and growled dangerously again.

-But I can’t! I belong to you!- Toshiro coughed out between sharp intakes of oxygen.

-What the fuck happened to you, then?! Complying so easily, turning so easily, obeying so easily to the fucker you hated! What happened to you, Hitsugaya, you bastard?!

The smaller Arrancar could only look up and stare sadly at his Master. He had no idea what he was talking about and felt terrible for not understanding his words.

Grimmjow saw the absolute lack of recognition every time the white haired man locked eyes with him. The Espada hated it. He had heard from Ulquiorra and Yammy about the capture of the ice Captain, and he felt eager to meet him once again, after he had obliterated one of his Fracciones. He wanted to test how strong he actually was and, secretly, find out more about him. He seemed interesting enough from afar, how he fought, how he spoke of duties and honor and ideals, what he looked like. That pristine platinum hair caught his eye and Grimmjow wanted to know more. Maybe, if he got the chance, he wanted to run his hands through that snow white of his and find out the actual color of his eyes. He expected much from his first meeting with the Captain.

Of course, this was nothing like what he expected.

If Aizen saw through him or not, it was a mystery, though the man probably knew he wanted something with the Captain. Maybe that was why he ordered for Toshiro- (he had learned his full name after he was turned, he didn’t even get a proper meeting) -to be his new Fracción. The second option was because he was making him silently and unknowingly atone for killing one of his pawns. Whatever the case, he was stuck with a puppet. A shell of the fighting man he wanted to meet.

He knew the Hogyoku could accelerate the process of Hollows turning to Arrancar and break the barrier without the need of constant hunt and feed. He didn’t know it could do this, though.

He didn’t know exactly when or how had Aizen done it, only when he was summoned to the room did he find out the Captain had been turned into one of his kin. The hollow on his chest was solid proof of it. The almost unseen fragment behind his ear was the second confirmation. The Shinigami had been forced to become an Arrancar. How much pain had he endured before that? Had they broken him before the process, or did the process break him? There was no way he could find out. He did find out, however, how things were fucked up after the transformation.

First thing that went wrong, and angered Aizen silently, was the fact his powers were nearly wiped out. If he wanted the Captain to be an asset in the war, it would be almost impossible. He certainly didn’t qualify for an Espada.

Second thing that went wrong, his memory was completely erased and only feral instincts remained at first. Proof of this: how he tried, _ dared _to try and bite Aizen’s hand off. After a day or two of getting accustomed to his new body, the eating instinct had wore off partially, so he was under control, somehow. Though lack of memories meant lack of information. Another lost objective.

Third thing that went wrong, though not exactly for the Lord of Las Noches, but for Grimmjow, was the fact he retained none of his old personality.

There was nothing left of Toshiro. After weeks of seeing him do nothing but wait for him and his orders, stare at him with fascination and admiration, and talk to him with respect and joy… he was done. The blue haired Espada was finally done.

-Fuck you, fuck you, Toshiro. How dare you let yourself be turned into this pathetic wimp! So fucking easily! I can’t forgive you!

-Forgive for what?! What did I do?!- after wheezing his questions out he went back into his coughing fit, grasping his neck and attempting to lessen the pain.

Grimmjow kicked him in the stomach and made Toshiro roll over across the ground, crashing loudly with a wall and gasping in pain again.

-Fight back! What is wrong with you?! Fight back! Bite back, do something!

Toshiro snapped his eyes open and stared at the Espada disbelievingly.

-Well?!- the blue haired man spread his arms and waited for him to do something. Stand up and try to punch him, gather enough strength to scream insults at him, anything would do at that point.

White hair swayed as the Arrancar slowly stood up. With one hand, he grasped his stomach. With the other, he rubbed his neck. Blood was already running down his mouth but he didn’t seem to care.

-I don’t know what you mean. I don’t… know what you wanted me, want me to do.- he gasped slightly, recovering lost air before continuing. -I don’t know what I did to anger you.

There was a sudden surge of anger that bubbled beneath what he believed was his calm soul. Toshiro widened his eyes as he felt fury invade him. He felt wrong and out of place. He wanted to tear everything around him down, before tearing himself apart.

-But...

The feeling left as quickly as it came, but a small, the smallest portion of it, remained. Through gritted teeth and shining eyes of hatred, he spat.

-...fuck you, Grimmjow Jeagerjackes.

Blue hair swayed. Grimmjow took a step back in surprise and gave a grin that almost hurt his face.

-Now that’s what I fucking wanted.

Without waiting for an answer or a reaction, he stomped past Toshiro and left the room, shutting the door behind him and, for the first time, the white haired Arrancar felt the clicking sound of the lock falling in place.

-...what just happened?

Hitsugaya could only slump down on the rubble uselessly as he wondered what was all of that about, and how in the world had he dared to insult his Master. Unforgivable for him, a Fracción, to talk that way towards his Master. He would need to apologize to him the moment he came back.

(No lying, though, he felt fantastic after cursing him.)

...maybe he didn’t need to apologize after all.

❄

Grimmjow didn’t stop grinning for the rest of the day. What he did was a huge accomplishment and pride was something he was unfamiliar with, but it felt great.

Toshiro wasn’t gone. He just had to dig hard enough to get that Captain out again. It would be hard, and so, so worth it. He would get him to fight back.

Aizen hadn’t won him over yet. And the Espada would make sure it remained that way.


	2. Angered Blizzard, Lost Beasts

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Never push someone beyond their limits.
> 
> Danger arises when that happens.

By the time the door opened again, it had been almost two full days. The room was the same, the cracked wall surrounded by debris Toshiro didn't feel the need to clean up and the beds unused for the most part.

Grimmjow slowly walked in, dragging behind him a huge Hollow that was casually missing an arm. He threw it inside and closed the door, locking it then sitting down, his back firmly pressed on it.

From the other side of the room, Toshiro stood up from the bed and bowed to him, the same ridiculous, pathetic smile of always plastered on his face.

-Welcome back.

Grimmjow smirked. Well, there was a difference.

-No more Master business, then?

Hitsugaya simply huffed in response.

-You ordered so.

-Yeah, I sure did.- The bluenette motioned with his hand towards the Hollow. -Sorry fer leaving ya' alone fer two days. Ya' must be hungry.

The Arrancar walked closer to him and gently sat down. He looked over the appetizing Hollow and suppressed the feral lick that attempted to slip past his lips.

-I am.

-Eat then, what're you waiting for?

Toshiro stared.

-You won't leave this time? I heard you locking the door.

-Got no reason to leave. Unless ya' don't like me here?

The Espada gave a wide mocking grin at the white haired man, expecting him to kick him out of the room and bite back just like before.

-You're right. You have no reason to leave. You may eat too if you wish, it's your room and your hunt, after all.

Damnit.

Sighing dramatically, Grimmjow flopped his shoulders down and pressed against the door carelessly. At the opposite side, Hitsugaya pushed himself closer to the bulging monster and leaned down on it, suddenly snapping his mouth open and biting his fangs deep into the spirit. With a feral growl, he teared apart a chunk of its flesh and silently munched it into his mouth, swallowing rather quickly before going for another piece.

The Espada watched in stunned silence as the other man ate. Thinking back on it, he had never seen him actually eat the Hollows he gave him. Sometimes he thought they would be too huge for him and that Toshiro simply got rid of the corpse when he was full, maybe throwing it out the window or just waiting for it to disintegrate. Now, appreciating how he wildly tore it apart without a hint of remorse or disgust, he wondered how could a body so small devour something so big.

-Tastes good?

The Arrancar nodded, too busy with his stuffed mouth to give a proper answer.

-Glad to hear it.

There was a loud gulping sound before Toshiro managed to speak up.

-You won't eat?

Grimmjow shook his head.

-Don't really need to right now. Had a meal before and my instincts are kinda under control. Or at least, better than yours, it seems.

-Instinct is all I have. Also- -he swiftly snatched another piece and quickly swallowed it before finishing.- this one is great, for starving for two days, I mean.

-Yeah, sorry ab't that.

Toshiro suddenly huffed.

-You're not one for apologies. Shut up and let me eat in peace.

At this, the blue haired Espada quirked an eyebrow in confusion.

-How do you know I'm not one for apologies, huh? Ya' barely know me.

-I just know. Your thing is fighting and kicking others' ass…

-And how can you tell?

-I've seen you.

Grimmjow's mouth twitched at the corner, suppressing the need to smirk in satisfaction.

-You've never left Las Noches. You've never seen me fighting, Toshiro.

The Arrancar squinted his eyes before biting down on the Hollow again, tearing more flesh apart with his skilled canines. He didn't wait for having his mouth empty to talk back.

-No, I h've. 'm sure.

-When?

-When you…

The Espada allowed himself to finally smirk when he saw Toshiro trailing off and widening his eyes in shock. He swallowed his food and hurriedly brought a hand up to his head, scratching right behind his tiny mask fragment and mumbling something incomprehensible.

-But… I'm sure… when you… and…

-And?

And nothingness.

Out of nowhere, the white haired Arrancar yelled in panic and began gesturing wildly with his hands, averting his black and turquoise eyes around the room as he did so. Grimmjow flinched at the outburst and stared wide eyed at the former Captain.

-Orange! I know, you did, on… on… beyond the Forest? Wasn't dark, wasn't night… it was… somewhere so far I don't know it… but I know I saw you, fighting orange, there was black and red, there were others like me, you… but…

The blue haired man locked fascinated cerulean eyes with lost, panicking turquoise ones. How he tried to put back pieces of his fragmented past was beyond admirable. When Toshiro fell silent in confusion, he took the chance.

-Orange, as in… I… chi…- Grimmjow mockingly tried to give the white haired man a push, testing how far his recognition could go. He waited for Toshiro to give him his so wanted reaction.

He wasn't disappointed with what came next.

-...go. I, chi, go.

Toshiro gasped tensely. The blue haired man felt a sense of uneasiness invade him.

Something was wrong.

-Ichigo…?- he mumbled again.

The Sexta Espada straightened his back and waved a hand at Toshiro, trying though failing to get his attention. Warily, he brought his unused hand closer to his Zanpakuto, not knowing if maybe he had gone too far and awakened a memory that would put him in danger.

-My… Ichigo…?

- _ Your _ Ichigo?

Grimmjow understood a second too late.

Toshiro screeched and violently yanked at his hair, curling up on the floor and trembling uncontrollably. Blinded by pain, his Hollow instincts took over and he roared through bared fangs, before lunging at what was left of his meal and tearing it apart. Grimmjow watched in awe as he destroyed the spirit mercilessly, giving feral growls and slicing at the monster seeking more food. He devoured it faster than his body was probably used to, but he most certainly didn't seem to care. His darkened eyes shone dangerously, his pupils turned into menacing slits and darting their focus on the Hollow, looking for more, more, more to eat. He wanted more. He needed more.

In less than five minutes, there was nothing left.

The white haired Arrancar panted in exhaustion, his mouth, hands, and a major portion of his clothes covered in blood. He breathed heavily, horrified at his own outburst but not feeling it as a bad thing either. Unconsciously, he brought one of his bloody hands to his mouth and licked it absentmindedly. He was sweating more than ever before and saliva ran down freely from his mouth.

Grimmjow narrowed his eyes when he saw the silent tears falling like a cascade from his left eye.

-What is this?

The blue haired man darted his eyes and locked them with Toshiro’s.

There was only fear in them.

-What is… what?- he questioned carefully.

- _ What have you done to me? _

The Espada didn’t get to answer before his Fracción fell unconscious, his eyes rolling backwards and leaving an empty black behind.

He lunged at the falling man and managed to catch him on his arms before he hit the floor full force. Grimmjow allowed himself a moment to breathe deeply and calm down, unconsciously hugging the smaller Arrancar closer to him and rubbing soothing circles on his back.

He had gone too far and gotten information he wasn’t supposed to get.

- _ Your _ Ichigo…?

He sighed in defeat. Carefully, he stood up and carried the white haired man to his bed, apparently undoing it for the first time and tucking him in despite the blood splattered everywhere. He would get someone to clean that up at some point, but right then, he didn’t care.

Grimmjow walked over his own bed and flopped down on it, his arms opened wide to his side and his breathing heavy with exhaustion.

-...now I get it.

Sleep didn’t take long to claim his troubled mind and body.

❄

Demanding things out of Urahara wasn’t his style, but to be honest, this was an emergency Ichigo wasn’t willing to ignore.

The shopkeeper closed his white fan shut and stared sadly at his star student. Keeping this a secret from Soul Society would be hard, more so with the implications it brought and the lengths Ichigo was going to get to to fulfill his promise.

-Kurosaki… you’re conscious this is madness, right?

He nodded firmly.

-I am. And you can’t stop me.

-I’m not. Just wanted to make sure before actually throwing you into the lion’s den.

The orange haired Soul Reaper gritted his teeth impatiently.

-How long will it take you?

-Three days. You got that time to get ready and see if you can convince anyone of coming with you.

-Isn’t there a faster way?! In three days, Toshiro could be-!

-If Aizen wanted him dead, he wouldn’t have ordered his pawns to kidnap him. Three days, Ichigo. Do your best.

-Fine.- he grumbled in disappointment and anger at the scenario he had in front of him. Ichigo reluctantly stood up and left the shop, going back home with his mind busy.

Chad was an assured yes. He would help him. Orihime, most certainly. Uryuu? Debatable. Hardly. Anyone from Soul Society was a big no. He had no way to contact them after all; they had all been summoned back after Toshiro’s…  _ incident, _ as they liked to call it, and they didn’t seem to be moving anytime soon. Perhaps, the Visored…? No, for a Captain of Soul Society, they probably wouldn’t risk their own.

Never before had he been so alone in a quest like this. Ichigo sighed and looked up at the moon, as if waiting for someone to tell him what to do.

He stared in silence, admiring it. It was pristine. A wonderful white in the darkest night. Like him.

He frowned deeper as he sped up and finally arrived home. He had to rest for what was coming, he needed all his available strength ready for a definitely fearsome battle.

-Don’t forget my promise, Toshiro… I’ll save you. No matter what.

It was, sadly, a restless night for Ichigo Kurosaki.


	3. Stained snow, Mad hunter

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Another attempt, another moment of rage. Grimmjow realizes he might need to start practicing self control.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Big lmao it's been a while. Trust me I have not forgotten this fic! It will continue and please bear with me for a while, I'm trying my best to make this content something you all can enjoy ^v^b
> 
> For those who have stayed and waited for so long, I'm so sorry skcjskfjdk you all have the right to smack me. And to those who commented-- I love you.
> 
> Thank you for everything! On with the madness.

Waking up was not the most pleasant sensation after having a blackout. Rubbing the back of his head and unconsciously touching the back of his ear, where his mask fragment was, Toshiro sat up on the bed and scanned the room warily. He was still in Grimmjow's quarters… the wall seemed the same as before… the loud snoring sound was what got his attention and he snapped his head around, instantly finding the source of it.

Grimmjow was sleeping on the bed to his side.

It was a rare sight and actually the first time Toshiro had seen him rest with him in the room. It felt awkward, though he looked so calm, so peaceful, he almost felt tempted to walk over him and pet his hair. The panther was a cat to his eyes right then...

The white haired Arrancar squinted at his form and sighed as he forced himself to look away, something hot creeping up his cheeks and ears. Toshiro tried to divert his attention from him, but all there was to focus on, besides his Master's snoring, was his pressing headache. He did his best to ignore it, though he knew there was a reason behind it. Something happened before, he had a nagging feeling.

A loud groan to his side broke him out of his thoughts, and the Arrancar jumped in surprise, suddenly frightened he had woken his Master up. He stared, ready to stand up and greet him if he found the need to, but all Grimmjow did was roll over and continue his slumber, now lacking the snores. Toshiro sighed, and was about to lay down and go back to sleep himself when he noticed the ugly black and red that covered him all over.

He inhaled sharply and stood up, feeling how some of his still wet clothes stuck to him uncomfortably. He didn't remember when had that happened- oh, right, his last meal. Actually, everything revolved around his last meal. His blackout, the hole in his memory, his headache, the blood.

At the very least, he could take care of the blood. Hurriedly, hoping to finish before his Master woke up for real, he walked over to the only bathroom in the quarters and locked the door behind him. Once in, he sighed, and tugged at his clothes.

That's when he realized he didn't know how to get them off.

His eyes locked on his chest, and he growled in confusion. He was wearing a set of rather strange clothes, but he hadn't questioned it at first. All white, with a few black stripes going down here and there, and he had to touch himself all over looking for a way to unzip them. They were too tricky, and he groaned in exasperation. Whoever had dressed him up when he was unconscious at some point would be reprimanded for it. What kind of cape was this? How the hell did it connect with the rest of the body?

The fact the drying blood was still sticking to him and the dry zones began cracking with every movement he did didn't make it any better. His urge to be clean grew with every passing second, more so when he made the mistake of running a hand through his hair and tainting it red without even noticing.

-What- oh, come on…- he muttered. -What in the world is this? What the hell are these sleeves? Damnit, how does this make sense…

He gritted his teeth as his patience reached its limit. Growling louder and baring his fangs, he grabbed a side of the strange shirt that left his back exposed and tugged violently. At the first try, it didn't really budge. By the fourth one, with him actually making feral sounds of impatience, the fabric ripped apart.

Then he smiled. Victory.

-Heh, serves you right…

Not bothered in the slightest with what he was doing, the Arrancar continued to rip his clothes off him, tossing the unusable fabrics away once he was done with one side and now firmly grabbing at his sleeves, fully intending to pull there next.

He didn't get to complete the action when there was a knock on the door. He yelped.

-Hey, what the fuck are you doing?

Master. Fuck.

-I'm… trying to clean the blood from last night.- he said honestly. He had no reason to lie after all.

From the other side, he heard a feral questioning "hah?", before he saw the handle go down abruptly and several times.

-What do you mean clean the blood? What the… oi, open up. Did you hurt yourself or some shit?

-No, it's from, you know…

-Unlock the fucking door. I don't recall saying you could lock them on me.

Toshiro gulped. The tone his Master held was kind of threatening, but that was just his usual, right? Still, the thought of letting Grimmjow see him in that state didn't fit well in his head, for some reason. Least of all if he was angry- _angrier _than normal.

He knew he was supposed to not be ashamed of anything with his Master, to not mind whatever he did with him- thus why, he recalled, he had panicked when he insulted him. Whether Grimmjow used him for target practice or tossed him around like a ragdoll, he wasn't supposed to mind. He wasn't made to fight back, to argue, to disobey. He knew that, he was sure he knew that.

Then why did he feel so uncomfortable following a simple order?

-Toshiro. Open the damn door.

Oh his Master was probably baring his fangs by that point. Sighing, the white haired man turned and unlocked the door with a shaky hand. It was better to let him in than to wait for a Cero to blast the room away. Once the sound reached the Espada's sensitive ears, he instantly kicked the thing open and stomped inside the rather luxurious bathroom. Toshiro held his breath at the snarl he got his way, but his tension slowly turned to fear and embarrassment as the glare began to morph into a curious frown, his mouth twisted in confusion.

-What… the fuck were you doing again?

The Arrancar snapped.

-I said I was cleaning the blood!

-What the hell did you do to get your clothes all messed up?

He gulped.

-I…- he sighed before spilling the beans, knowing lying would get him nowhere. -I didn't know how to take them off.

Grimmjow's eyes darted up, locking with the turquoise of his Fracción. He blinked.

After a solid minute of disbelief, he bursted out laughing. The white haired Hollow could feel a vein of irritation appearing on his temple and his face going red for sure, his need to rip his Master apart tightly contained inside.

-What's so _funny_, huh?!

-You don't know how to take your clothes off!? Are you serious!? Oh, this is gold!

-Shut it! I know how to do that, just not with these damned… high fashion… things!

_-High fashion!_\- Grimmjow barked the words, wheezing for air and holding himself steady on the closest counter. -Oh, oh my, I can't even- shit, oh, you're something else, really!

-Shut it, you…! If you're just going to mock me then get out of here!

-Aha, and then what? Huh? Ya' don't want some help?- _no, he didn't._ -I'm here now and I've gotta say, ya' look kinda hot. Here, let me undress ya'-

-I look _what_?

-Mhm, ya' heard me. Never thought ya' would look nice with yer' hair tainted with blood and with yer' clothes ripped so bad.

Now Toshiro felt like freaking out.

-W-what is… get out of here! Stop looking at me!- he didn't even notice the shift on his voice, now seemingly giving the orders. -You're being really damn creepy right now. Get out!

-Ya' got no right to boss me around.- Grimmjow's tone also changed. Something dangerous yet joyful was hidden behind it. -Who the fuck do ya' think ya' are?

-Oh, haven't you heard of me, really? Being an Espada? I am…!- fury bubbled inside of him, indignation for the way he was being treated, but the words he wanted to say to state his point never came. Somehow his train of thought felt suddenly blocked, the clear ideas he had becoming blurred and confusing.

The blue haired man stared. Something close to excitement took over his mind, eager anticipation, high expectations on the unspoken words.

"Say it, just say it."

-You are _what_?- he pressed on.

Toshiro widened his black and turquoise eyes. Then he sighed tiredly. No, his mind was blank.

-…Arrancar 81, your Fracción… fine, do whatever you want, Master…- he looked down, interested in his black and white shoes out of nowhere. He had no idea what the entire argument had been about anymore, and he didn't really care. He had disobeyed his Master, after all.

On the other hand, the Espada fell silent.

The walls trembled.

_-What did I fucking say ab't calling me Master?_

Toshiro gulped and closed his eyes, still clinging to the clothes he had left and now attempting to cover his exposed chest with them.

-Does it... look like I care right now?

The ground shook.

-_Care_, you son of a bitch!

The Espada lost all composure.

Without even thinking, he grabbed what was left of his Fracción's collar, lifted him up and closer to himself, then slapped him loudly across the face, his eyes tense in a furious frown and his teeth pressed together like never before. Toshiro grunted loudly in pain, the force of the impact sending him crashing into a wall and hitting his head against it. His strength non existent, sealed away, he didn't even get to register what had happened when unconsciousness took over him, his vision going black almost instantly. Blood ran down freely from the side of his face, tainting his hair even more and covering his right eye. From his mouth, a smaller streak of the thick red liquid slid down and dripped from his chin.

The Espada responsible for the damage breathed harshly. It almost hurt his lungs, how violently he was inhaling and exhaling, his mind lost in the moment of the outburst.

Fuck, Toshiro had been so close. Why did he stop?

His tense hands tightened and untightened into fists, several times, his uncontrolled rage lingering around his body as unreleased tension. Animalistic growls escaped him as he turned around and left the room, going for his bed and showing no mercy against the sheets as he let his need to fight rampage free. He didn't even register the moment he went, grabbed and ripped the blankets, his outburst merely starting, everything suddenly turning red for him.

Only when he felt like he had done enough damage to the _entirety _of the room did he snap back to his senses. Shock came next.

There were claw marks all over the four walls, and even a few on the ceiling. The beds were a bigger mess. Whatever furniture there used to be was mercilessly crushed down, and the rubble left from a few days ago from Grimmjow and Toshiro's previous violent encounter had been stomped on and reduced to nothingness.

He stared at his mess, and cringed in silence. A hand went to cover his face, now making groans of irritation. He had really gone and done it this time.

-Fucking hell… Aizen's gonna be fucking pissed again.

His focus shifted back to the bathroom, where his most worrying disaster was. Going feral had never been so bad for him or anyone, but this time even he could tell he had gone overboard. Under a normal situation, his real Fracciones would've stopped him… this one was a useless idiot that couldn't defend himself.

Sighing, he quickly walked over the mess that was Toshiro, passed out on the floor and probably bleeding himself close to death. There was no way he could take care of this, the blue haired man knew that. Medicine be fucked. Grunting, he slid his hands under the other man and lifted him up, trying hard to not cause him more pain, and being particularly careful with his head.

Blood tainted his white jacket, but he didn't really mind. His priority was to find a way to prevent the amnesiac bastard from walking too close to death.

Whether he liked it or not, Aizen still had plans for Toshiro, or that judging by how he hadn't been disposed off already. If he truly was a powerless, failed experiment, Grimmjow was not-dumb enough to tell the madman that was his leader wouldn't do any minimum attempt to keep him around.

The panther Espada sighed. As he opened the door and walked out into the tricky corridors of Las Noches, he began to make up a lie, an excuse to explain what had happened to his Fracción, at the same time bracing himself for the imminent beating and subsequent scolding he would get for it. He couldn't let them know of anything. He couldn't risk the white haired Arrancar… _Captain, _like that.

Now. To remember where the damn infirmary was, and pray no one was there to question him- _too much._


End file.
